Saturday, April 4, 2015

Pheaturing Phile Alum Jim Korkis

Hey there, my loves, good afternoon, welcome to the Phile. How have you been? I have a lot to do, so let's get into it. There are few things that summon up the image of a big, greasy pepperoni pizza more so than a gay wedding. Unfortunately for the millions upon millions of gay people in Indiana who desperately need pizza at their nuptials, there's one less outlet for their demand today. Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana is taking advantage of the state's new anti-gay law to refuse service to the long lines of pizza-needing gay couples that darken their door on a daily basis. "If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding, we would have to say no," co-owner Crystal O'Connor told ABC 57 News. "We're not discriminating against anyone, that's just our belief and anyone has the right to believe in anything." Indiana Governor Mike Pence might be trying to walk back his state's new gay discrimination law, but Arkansas legislators are rushing in to try to fill our headlines' bigotry vacuum. An anti-gay bill masquerading as religious freedom legislation... very similar to the one recently signed by Pence was passed last night by the state congress. Governor Asa Hutchinson, who was expected to sign it into law, is now vowing to send it back to the legislature until it is less overtly hateful. Ain't no party like an Arkansas party cause an Arkansas party don't stop unless it sees what happened in Indiana then at least it slows down. The Florida legislature is repealing a 147 year old law that threatens unmarried couples who opt to live together in a "lewd and lascivious" manner with a two-month jail sentence. "The times have changed," state senator Eleanor Sobel declared. "Currently, over a half-million couples in Florida are breaking this law. The government should not intrude into the private lives of consenting adults." This act of congress officially brings Florida into the early to mid 20th Century. By the way, contrary to popular belief... and God's command mayonnaise and mustard aren't married. They've just been living in sin. Julianne Moore's raw and intense style of acting might have been enough to nab her an Academy Award last month, but Turkey's tourism and culture ministry has slightly higher standards. After viewing the actress's performance in a promotional video for the country, ministry officials demaded reshoots due to her "poor acting." Moore refused, and the project has since been scrapped. If you thought Amy Winehouse's meteoric rise to fame and tragic descent into substance abuse was depressing when you saw it playing out in tabloid newspapers, just wait until you see it all crammed into a single two-hour documentary about the preternaturally talented musician's life and untimely death. Speaking of Amy Winehouse, when I was in Pennsylvania last weekend my son and I went into a Game Stop and I was surprised there's a new Amy Winehouse video game. Or maybe it's old, I dunno. Check it out.

So, I mentioned Indiana a few moments ago, well, new signs have been put up in that state recently. I think it explains it all...

Like I said, last weekend I was in Pennsylvania and when I was there I learnt something. In every painting I've seen of Benjamin Franklin it looks like somebody just stole his parking space.

Hahaha. See what I mean? Tomorrow is Easter, kids. In Europe they have these chocolate eggs called Kinder eggs which are banned in the United States. The add for them is kinda harsh I think.

I don't know what to say. Easter reminds me of how boring my death will probably be. One thing about Easter that makes me smile is photos of innocent children being scared shitless of Easter Bunnies.

"Do you like violence, Timmy? Yes, yes, let the evil consume you." You know, some churches are a little too honest about Easter.

Oh, man, Moving on, let's see who went Tango Uniform recently.

Sarah Brady
February 6th, 1942 — April 3rd, 2015
A gun control advocate, and wife of a guy that got shot protecting Reagan. This, kids, is why I have the Peverett Phile Phame Committee now.

If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Alright, guess what time it is? He's a singer, patriot and renaissance man. It's time for...

So... Easter is this weekend.
A time when all of us "Good Catholics" celebrate Jesus turning into a zombie by painting then hiding hard boiled eggs and eating chocolate bunnies with freakishly large ears... just so we're all clear on this. A high school senior at a Miller Place, Long Island school and president of the student body was kicked out of the second night's performance of a variety show after ad libbing a scripted line and poking fun at the school's superintendent.
Now, I have no problem with this kid's right to free speech... what I DO have a problem with is lawyers getting involved with him and his parents to sue the school for "Embarrassing and violating him in a grievous manor." Listen up, you little shit... You KNEW there was a strict policy against ad libbing... You CHOSE to run the risk of punishment... You DID it anyway. MAN up and take your medicine, Doogie. If we open the floodgates to this reservoir of bullshit, we'll have kids turning in history finals with the word "Duuuuuuuuuude" written across the page and then suing because they were failed... infringing on their rights to free speech.
You, your parents... and your fucking lawyer need to drink a tall glass of... Shut the Fuck Up!

Alright, today's pheatured guest is a Phile Alum and author of "The Vault of Walt: Volume 3: Even More Unofficial Disney Stories Never Told," the 36th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club which is now available on Amazon. Please welcome back to the Phile... Jim Korkis.

Me: Jim! Welcome to the Phile, How have you been?

Jim: Old, fat and broke but thanks for asking.

Me: I have to tell you honestly that you are the first author I have had come back numerous times, and not because you write so many bloody good books, or because you are a friend, but because your interviews are so popular here on the Phile. I guess you have a lot of Disney fans.

Jim: Thank you for those kind and generous words. I am very grateful that people are interested in what I have to say and write about Disney. It is terrific when I hear from these folks or meet them at the parks. It encourages me to try harder.

Me: Anyway, you are back with another book, but since you were here last whenever that is you also published two other books... "Animation Anecdotes" and "Who's the Leader" which we will talk about in a bit. First though, how do you get so many ideas for your books, Jim? You must write a few hours a day, am I right?

Jim: Yes, I schedule several hours a day, every day including weekends, to write. I treat it like a regular job and I push myself to write several thousand words a day. I write weekly and monthly columns for a variety of websites besides articles for magazines and I just started a brand new weekly column at yourfirstvisit.net where I talk about the back stories behind Walt Disney World attractions and resorts. Not everything I write turns out great so I have to toss it out or go back and do extensive editing.
I have been involved in doing Disney history research for thirty-five years so I have a lot of resources. Also, I have interests in other areas like animation and entertainment history that also supply me with added perspective. Basically, I write about things that I would like to read.

Me: Before we talk about the books let's talk about some things that have been happening at Walt Disney World. By the way, does it bother you when people say Walt Disney World is the happiest place on Earth? I do! That's actually Disneyland , am I right?

Jim: Yes, Disneyland is “the happiest place on earth” and officially the tag marketing line for the Magic Kingdom is “the most magical place on earth” but you rarely hear anyone use that description. I know that former Disney Archivist Dave Smith was extraordinarily careful with correct Disney nomenclature and would bring people (including me) to task if we were too casual and wrote “The Grand Floridian” when the correct name is “Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.” For me, I still sometimes call it “Disney MGM Studios” or just “MGM” or “The Studios” rather than “Disney Hollywood Studio.” Most people seem to know what I am talking about but there will come a time when some people will just scratch their heads when I refer to it as “MGM.” People will call it whatever makes sense to them. Walt insisted that the parks issued “coupon books” and the word “coupon” is right underneath the letters A-E on the individual slips yet people still called them tickets in the ticket book and the term “E Ticket” is in many people’s vocabulary as a cultural phrase.

Me: Recently Walt Disney World closed down two attractions: The Maelstrom ride in Norway at Epcot and the Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Were you surprised by both of these attractions closing?

Jim: Not really. The classic Disney attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean or Splash Mountain would never be built today because it would be too expensive with all those audio-animatronics and the upkeep. The “smaller” experiences like The Maelstrom and the Backlot Tour are being avoided by Disney guests who feel the need to ride Space Mountain ten times or more in a day to try to recover the value for the high cost of admission.
Disney is a business and if it seems that attendance has dropped off significantly at an attraction like the sorely missed Mr. Toad in Fantasyland then the good business move is to close it down or replace it with something that will help increase income. However, as a Disney fan, I wish I could still ride Mr. Toad in Walt Disney World or Horizons at Epcot.

Me: Let's talk about that Frozen explosion. Man, Frozen has taken over everywhere, hasn't it? Did you think that film would be that popular?

Jim: Even Disney didn’t think Frozen would be that popular but it became the highest grossing Disney animated feature of all time. Disney thought it might be comparable to Tangled and even produced roughly the same amount of merchandise based on that assumption which is why fans couldn’t find all the goodies they wanted when the film hit big.
You never know when audiences are going to emotionally connect with a film. Few people remember that the second highest grossing Disney animated feature film, The Lion King, was just meant to be a filler to give the production team on Pocahontas some more time to finish what was supposed to be the next big blockbuster. The “B” team was assigned to work on The Lion King.
Obviously in Frozen, the story of the bond between two sisters and the emphasis on female empowerment where you don’t need a prince’s “true love kiss” for a happy ending touched a lot of young women over and above the fine craftsmanship in the actual film.

Me: Did you see that movie and what did you think?

Jim: I enjoyed it but it is not one of my top favorite Disney animated features. That spot goes to films like Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and Pinocchio. For Pixar films, my top favorite has always been Monster Inc.
Just like the Disney Company, I never expected Frozen to be so overwhelmingly popular, just another example of the well made animated features that Disney produces. I also never expected Big Hero 6 to be such a blockbuster. I liked the film, thought it was well made but it took me by surprise as well.
Again, every Disney animated film is somebody’s favorite. I once dated a young lady I dearly loved whose favorite was The Aristocats. I think that film is one of the worst Disney animated features for several reasons like modern dogs from the American South in an earlier time period in Paris but because she loved it so much, I learned to re-look at it and get a better appreciation.

Me: Do you think in five years Frozen will still be everywhere?

Jim: That’s a great question especially with all the Frozen investment going into the parks. I remember the time when Disney Beanie Babies were so popular that there was physical violence connected to people getting the limited edition ones. Now, most collections have been donated to Goodwill. I am old enough to remember when Disney fans collected buttons from the parks rather than pins. No one seems to do that anymore.
I suspect that because of the emotional connection with the film, people will still love Frozen five years from now and maybe even with the same mania that exists today. I just hope Disney capitalizes on it without diluting it with faux sequels or a television series with a watered-down premise.

Me: And that Backlot Tour was one of the Studios' original attractions. That was a big shock for everyone when they closed it down. Were you surprised?

Jim: When that attraction first opened, there was still the great thrill of seeing “behind-the-scenes” of moviemaking but once the park stopped producing television shows and films, there really was nothing to see and I think a lot of the extras on Blu-Rays have taken the place of providing the glimpse that people want of how things are done. The Backlot Tour was a leisurely experience and Disney does not want to provide that to guests today. A Walt Disney World operations manager told me that they try to limit benches in the park so that people will have to go places to eat and buy things rather than just sit and enjoy the scenery.
The hull of the spaceship from the 1986 film The Navigator and on exhibit on the Backlot Tour was reformatted into the space ship used by the Coca-Cola Thirst Rangers in Tomorrowland. I will bet there are some readers who never even saw that Disney live action film or even care about some of the history in the parks. Times changes and not always for the better.

Me: There's a million rumors about that is going in its place. What do you think will go there, Jim?

Jim: I think it is pretty clear that the area is probably earmarked for the Pixar Place expansion and maybe even the fabled Star Wars expansion (which will soon demolish the Echo Lake area). Disney is negotiating with Universal and if those negotiations are successful, it might even be devoted to the Marvel superheroes. Those characters would easily fit into the atmosphere of Disney Hollywood Studios.
Just remember that Disney’s middle name is “Jello”. I have seen elaborate plans that took years to develop disappear in the snap of a finger. Remember the original plans for the New Fantasyland or Hyperion Wharf? There were detailed concept sketches. I have also seen things never planned spring up overnight. The recent Frozen overlay at the park was accomplished in just six weeks and was a huge success with the guests as well as taking money out of their pockets.

Me: Another thing we have to talk about is that new Star Wars movie. What did you think of the teaser trailer? I watched it over a hundred times.

Jim: I think the one thing that most people including myself felt about the trailer was the assurance that Disney is probably doing it “right." It had the right look and feel of the classic trilogy but with hints that there would be some new things in the same style. I am sure there are many surprises in the final film and then the question will be whether Disney can sustain that same feel for the next two films as well as all the independent “one-shot” films. I think it was very clever not to show Han, Luke and Leia because the point of this film is to be a “new beginning." I am a Star Wars fan of the original trilogy and the trailer made me excited to see the final film.

Me: Okay, let's talk about your book "The Vault of Walt: Volume 3 Even More Unofficial Disney Stories Never Told." How long did it take to write this book?

Jim: It took a little over a year to write and it was hard because I thought I had already picked the best stories for the first two volumes. The popularity of those books made me look and see if maybe I had a couple more good stories to tell and I did including defending with some solid facts that Walt Disney was not anti-Semitic, a chapter that many readers told me they were grateful to have so they could defend Walt from their ill-informed friends.

Me: You’re right. There are some very interesting stories in it, Jim. The first one is this whole Edison Square project. What was that supposed to be, where was it supposed to be and why didn't it happen?

Jim: Even before Disneyland was open, Walt was looking to expand the park. He had so many ideas where he didn’t have the money or the time to build what he wanted like a Haunted House on a side street off of Main Street USA.
Edison Square would have been a little cul-de-sac extension at the end of Main Street devoted to Thomas Edison, General Electric and that new technology keeps bringing a great big beautiful tomorrow. It would have included a walk-through exhibit of four different stages showing how one family’s life kept improving over the decades thanks to new discoveries. Walt later expanded that concept even further and it evolved into the famous Carousel of Progress but the foundation for that attraction was right there in 1956 even if the mechanics to make it work weren’t available yet.

Me: Then there's the sad story about Cliff Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket. Did you know about his story before you wrote that chapter?

Jim: I knew that there was a sad ending but I never realized how sad until I started doing my research. I often write stories because I can’t find the information anywhere else so I figure I should write what I know and maybe the other pieces of the story might get revealed. Edwards was an extremely popular and highly paid performer in vaudeville before he hooked up with Disney. In fact, he was the performer who introduced the song “Singing in the Rain.” However, like many performers he spent more money than he made, figuring there would always be more money coming in, and he got addicted to alcohol and drugs that not only drained his finances but affected his health and ability to perform. While people today primarily remember him as Jiminy Cricket, he was much more and the chapter in my book just touches on the tip of the iceberg. I don’t think most fans know that he was the voice of Jim Crow, the leader of the crows in the film Dumbo, or why he was chosen for that role when the other crows were voiced by black musicians. The answer is in the book.

Me: That Jiminy is a really popular character when it comes to Disney characters. Why do you think that is, Jim?

Jim: When I was growing up, it was Jiminy Cricket, not Mickey Mouse who was my very favorite Disney character. He was so smart, self-effacing, hard-working, funny and most important an inspiration to all of us to listen to our conscience and try to be the best we could be.
Even the Disney Company has used Jiminy as a mascot for several different departments over the years from the Disney University to currently Disney’s Environmentality projects. He was the mascot for many years for the Disney United Way campaign. He appeared as the spokesman for brands like Baker’s Instant Chocolate to Nash Rambler cars. He was for the longest time the only Disney character to star in two Disney animated features (Pinocchio and Fun and Fancy Free) until The Rescuers and TheRescuers Down Under. He had his own animated segments on the original "Mickey Mouse Club" television show that were later recycled into educational films that were rented by schools and churches. He had his own comic book series.
He is a tremendously hard character to draw correctly but there is just something so appealing about him that he touches all of us.

Me: And you talk about Hidden Mickeys. Years ago when I was in custodial myself with a kid on the college program were working bussing tables at the Farmers Market restaurant inside the Land pavilion and we both came up with the idea of a Hidden Mickey book. This was waaayyy before the Internet. And now Hidden Mickey books are sold in the parks. How did this happen?

Jim: For those who don’t know, a Hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey (often just the three-circled image of his head) that appears unobtrusively in a ride or on piece of furniture or wherever. Imagineers started doing it for fun when Epcot was built and they were told that Mickey wouldn’t be in the park. (He actually was on a couple of things like name tags and manhole covers.)
My friend Steve Barrett is the acknowledged expert on Hidden Mickeys and has written the most popular guides to the topic but even he didn’t know the full story of how they originally developed and how they were revealed to guests that I go into great detail in the chapter in my book. Even today, Disney Imagineering refuses to confirm or deny the existence of Hidden Mickeys and no one, not even Imagineering, has a complete list. One of the reasons is that things keep changing. New things are built. Old things are removed. Also Imagineers never kept a record. They just did it for fun.
Some Imagineers hate the idea of Hidden Mickeys because they feel guests spend so much time looking for them that it takes them out of the immersive experience. Guests LOVE Hidden Mickeys. I think it makes them feel like they are an “insider” and know something special their friends and family don’t know. However, sometimes I think people “see” Hidden Mickeys where none were intended.
I like the more creative ones like the viking in the Norway mural wearing mouse ears or Mickey’s foot sticking out beneath a poster in the Great Movie Ride. I think those are very clever but even I am blown away by the Hidden Mickey at the Little Mermaid ride that can be seen for only one hour a day on only ONE day of the year. There are also hidden Donald's and even a hidden Oswald the Rabbit.

Me: I have an idea for a book: "Blatant Mickeys." What do you think? Haha. Would your publisher go for that?

Jim: Maybe it should be called "Hidden Mickeys for Dummies." My publisher, Bob McLain, of Theme Park Press has dozens of terrific Disney related books available on Amazon including ones devoted to Walt’s Hollywood Garage to the haunted and tragic incidents at Disney theme parks to Walt’s vacation to Europe in 1935 that influenced so many Disney things to memoirs of the original Mouseketeers and students who were on the WDW college program.
He also has a terrific sense of humor so you, or anyone reading this with a great idea for a Disney book, should go to themeparkpress.com/write-for-us.htm. He is always willing to listen. If he buys your book idea, you owe me a lunch as commission.

Me: Deal. Speaking of your publisher, he hooked me up with an interview with Lonnie Burr, who was a Mousekeeter. Did you read that interview? Whatcha think?

Jim: You are always a great interviewer because you ask the “out of the ordinary” questions so you get so much more out of your interview subjects. Lonnie is a terrific subject. He is very outspoken, has had a colorful career, and since he is a writer himself really knows how to tell a story. I am so happy you are doing these interviews because it helps preserve a part of Disney history that no one else has done. Life is getting shorter and many of these people may not be around much longer.

Me: Okay, so, what other stories do you talk in "Vault of Walt 3"?

Jim: Walt’s mom’s special recipe for apple pie that Walt loved, the differences between fact and fiction in the movie Saving Mr. Banks, Walt’s smoking and his infamous cough, Walt’s adventures in France after World War I, the history of Ward Kimball’s Dixieland jazz band The Firehouse Five Plus Two and many, many others so there is something for everyone. I find that people buy a copy of the book for themselves and then another copy as a gift for a friend or family member because with so many different stories, everyone finds one that is their favorite. I have had five different fathers tell me their children have stolen their copies so they had to buy another one for themselves.

Me: Will there be a Volume 4?

Jim: Yes, there will be a Volume 4 this fall with even more great stories that no one else has ever written about but I never give specifics until the book is completely finished. A book is an organic thing and is constantly changing and you always want to make sure the “balance” of the stories is right. Again, it will be the same format: stories about Walt himself, stories about the theme parks, stories about the films both live action and animated and finally miscellaneous stories.

Me: Let's talk about your other books... "Animation Anecdotes" and "Who's the Leader of the Club." Those two books are very different. The first one is not about Disney, but about animation, right?

Jim: Yes, I spent a lot of time as an animation historian in the Los Angeles area. I knew many animators, both the old guard and the new ones who have since become legends. I was out there when films like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast were being made as well as television series like "Duck Tales." I wrote continuing columns on animation including news and reviews for several magazines.
For a decade, I wrote a monthly column for the prestigious newsstand Animation Magazine right from its first issue called “Animation Anecdotes” that featured funny stories, quotes and more. It was hugely popular in the animation industry. You can see Disney animation director John Musker reading my column in a scene in a bonus feature in the documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty." I currently write a weekly column of animation anecdotes at cartoonresearch.com. So I took some of those, some from the classic Animation Magazine columns and plenty of new ones and put them together in the book with some rewriting and updating.
There are over thirty-five pages just devoted to Disney including how Beatle John Lennon was inspired to write a hit song by a Disney animated film song, whether Luxo Jr. is male or female, how kids interviewed by TIME magazine in 1935 thought Mickey Mouse was a cat, and why the Disney Studio almost drowned the kid who did the voice of Pinocchio.
In addition, there are funny stories about Mr. Magoo, Tom and Jerry, Woody Woodpecker, Yogi Bear, Ralph Bakshi, Jay Ward, and more. One of the most popular chapters is the one on animated films never made including Disney’s Hiawatha.
Did you know animation legend Don Bluth was set to make an animated feature film based on Dracula with a script by Joss Whedon and concept art by Frank Frazetta? The story behind that film and others are in the book.

Me: Jim, what's your favorite cartoon series ever?

Jim: I loved the original "Jonny Quest" from Hanna-Barbera. I have re-watched it so many times and wish there had been a second season with those same creative talents. There are all sorts of oddball series that few people have heard of like "Eek! The Cat" that were short-lived but made me laugh. I loved the "Dr. Snuggles" series on television when it was voiced by Peter Ustinov. For contractually reasons, when it was finally released on video, they had someone else do the voice. "Batman: The Animated Series" with work by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm was outstanding.
Of course, I get a big kick out of the regular more mainstream series as well like the Disney Afternoon block of cartoons.

Me: The other book is about how Walt was as a boss, what he did that was right and what he did that was wrong. There have been many stories that Walt was hard on his employees, so what are some things he did right?

Jim: I worked with the business programs at Walt Disney World including developing and instructing many customized business programs for Disney corporate clients like Feld Entertainment, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Kodak. In addition, over the last four decades, I interviewed many people who worked closely with both Walt and Roy on business matters.
There are plenty of books out there about how the Disney Company is run today. It is run much like any other big business. However, there were no articles or books on how Walt and Roy ran the company and how they evolved it from a “mom and pop” organization into a worldwide entertainment empire.
Walt had no business training but instinctively he did a lot of things right that other companies are starting to do in their businesses today including knowing when to take a calculated risk, creating a non-threatening work environment, modeling the behavior you want your employees to do, looking at employees as individuals who may have certain skills or hobbies that could benefit the business, and offering opportunities to women and minorities that they got nowhere else.
Walt was tough to work for but even decades after his death, people who worked for him were still completely devoted to him. He never expected more from his employees than what he expected from himself. He was the first one to the studio in the morning and the last one to leave at night and even came in on the weekends to do work. Over the years, he sold everything from his favorite Moon Roadster to his vacation home in Palm Springs to help keep the business going and paying salaries before he got a penny.
The book is a great history of Walt and Roy from a business perspective for Disney fans and also a great workbook for people who have small businesses and want to learn how Walt did it.

Me: Last time you were here I asked you if you had a Magic Band and you said no. So, do you have one now?

Jim: I still do not have a Magic Band. I have friends, including one of my brothers, who absolutely love it but they all preface their remarks by “I was able to schedule this and schedule that and…” It seems to me that people become a slave to that schedule. Going to a Disney theme park or any amusement park requires planning and I do that.
However, it just seems to me to be too much like work to HAVE to be somewhere at a certain time or else you miss your opportunity. I think what WDW has recently announced like expanding Soarin’ and Toy Story Mania makes more sense than saying you can only go on those things if months ahead of time you scheduled an appointment.
Also the bands fool you into spending more than you intended because you don’t see real money (even real credit card). You are a celebrity and with just a touch of your wrist you get everything you wanted but may not have needed.

Me: Good point. On the Phile I ask random questions thanks to Tabletopics... so here is yours. This is a lame one. Which famous athlete would you love to meet?

Jim: You never indicated “living” or “dead”. I am not a huge fan of today’s athletes although I respect their skills. Many of them seem preoccupied with fame or money rather than just the love of the sport. So, I don’t have a “hero” that I would love to meet.
If it were a dead athlete I would pick someone because of their historical importance and that they would have great stories like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Gentleman Jim Corbett, or ones who went on to other careers like Johnny Weissmuller or Buster Crabbe.
A current athlete? Most of them seem pretty uninteresting to me when I hear them interviewed. Maybe Shaquille O’Neal because he might have some great stories to share and seems like he would be fun.

Me: Jim, thanks for being back on the Phile. Please come back when your next book comes out. All the best.

Jim: And as always, thank YOU. I hope your readers will “vote with their wallets” and pick up my books for their collections, not just because I think they are books worth being in a Disney fan’s collection, but because then it encourages me to write more books and I have a lot of other stories to tell.

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Laird Jim and Jim Korkis. The Phile will be back on Monday with Phile Alum and artist Chris Hamer. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.

Not if it pleases me. No, you can't stop me, not if it pleases me. - Graham Parker